Traffic Delays In SMC May Occur During Fire Fuel Reduction Project

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — Fire crews will be clearing out hazards along a San Mateo County highway, causing some traffic delays Thursday and Friday as they shut down one lane, officials said.

Cal Fire CZU is teaming up with San Mateo County and Caltrans District 4 for a smart project to clear away fire hazards along the busy Highway 92 and the main is to get rid of fuel that can easily burn so that if a fire starts on the side of the road, it doesn't jump into neighborhoods or threaten important infrastructure.

Drivers should be ready for possible traffic slowdowns. It's likely that one lane of Highway 92 in that immediate area will be shut down from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. There’s also a chance of a one-lane closure on Friday during the same hours.

This spot was flagged by San Mateo County Fire Battalion Chiefs because there have been small fires here before, and it’s near a lot of cars that store lithium-ion batteries.

CAL FIRE CZU Forester Sarah Collamer said that this specific area was identified as an area of concern, stressing that state and local groups are working together before a crisis to make the area safer from wildfires and protect local residents.

The cleanup work is set to happen from Monday through Friday

Crews will focus on clearing out "ladder fuels," those small trees and low-hanging branches that act like a staircase, letting a ground fire climb up into the taller trees. They'll mainly be cutting down eucalyptus and other plants that don't belong there. They'll also thin out smaller trees, less than four inches wide, to break up the continuous line of fuel, giving firefighters a better, safer space to work if a fire does happen.

The work will be done on county land and along the state's Highway 92 right-of-way, right near the San Mateo County Corporation Yard.